Personal Highlights:
Your private butler at a country house on the shores of Lake Naivasha
A private aircraft to fly you to a luxury fishing camp on the shores of Lake Victoria
Being enchanted by the antics of the Otters in lake Victoria
Exploring the Maasai Mara on foot, in a vehicle and in a

Your Tour

A private aircraft to fly you to a luxury fishing camp on the shores of Lake Victoria

Being enchanted by the antics of the Otters in lake Victoria

Exploring the Maasai Mara on foot, in a vehicle and in a balloon

Lunch at Nairobi’s Carnivore restaurant where Crocodile can usually be found on the menu along with a good steak

You and me time with a family of Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda

Taking off for America and realizing that you have just had one of the best experiences of your life

Day 1 Depart USA

Your East African adventure begins as you depart the USA bound for Africa arriving in Nairobi the following afternoon

Day 2 Welcome to Africa

You arrive in Nairobi in the early afternoon and are met by our representative who will take you to your waiting car for the trip to Loldia House located on the shores of Lake Naivasha. Upon arrival you have a chance to freshen up before enjoying dinner under the spreading fig trees attended by your host Peter Njoroge, ‘probably the world's best butler'.

Day 3 A Cruise on Lake Naivasha

We have left the morning relatively open to allow you to adjust and relax. After breakfast you may want to explore some of the 8,000 acres on the ranch or just relax with your view of the lake. After lunch you will be picked up and taken to the dock where you board a boat for a cruise around Lake Naivasha with the opportunity for a stop at Crescent Island if that is your pleasure. You then return to the ranch to watch the sunset before enjoying another of the fine meals with Peter there to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Day 4 The Flamingos of Lake Nakuru

After breakfast your guide will be waiting to take you to Lake Nakuru where you have the chance to see millions of flamingos along the lake side. When seen from the air it resembles a pink ribbon encircling the lake much like Christo would envision. In addition to the sight of all this natural abundance is the sound of the flamingos calling to each other and, to be honest, if the wind is right, the smell of close to a million birds is awe inspiring. Should they decide to depart en masse the air will be filled with pink. After visiting with the flamingoes you have the chance to explore the estate in your vehicle and view the herds of wild antelope and zebra that call the estate home.

Day 5 Flying to Lake Victoria

After breakfast you will be taken to the airstrip where your private aircraft is waiting to take you to Lake Victoria and Mfangano Island Camp. During the flight be sure to have your pilot take you over the shore of Lake Nakuru to see the flamingos from the air. Upon landing you will be met at the airstrip and taken to your private cottage (one of only six) with sweeping views of Lake Victoria. You have a chance to relax and explore the camp before lunch is served. After lunch your guide will take you on a tour around the lakeside visiting local fishing villages and a local school. Upon returning to the camp you have the chance to take a swim in the lake or in the swimming pool before dinner.

Day 6 A Day on Lake Victoria

Your day starts as you head for the dock to board your boat for a morning fishing trip in search of Tilapia and Nile Perch. Your guide will help find the good spots and you have the chance to try your luck. If you are lucky and catch a Nile perch the guide might also prove helpful in pulling it into the boat. You can release your catch or bring it back to camp where the chef will be happy to prepare it for you either for lunch or dinner. After lunch you return to the dock where another boat will take you out on the lake for a chance to view the delightful antics of otters. Your guide can also point out the wide variety of birds that call the lake home. Return to shore where there is time to take a sunset stroll along the lake before enjoying a dinner under the stars.

Day 7 Journey to the Masai Mara

Today you will fly to the Masai Mara and Governors' Il Moran Camp which is located in a corner of the Masai Mara described as the "the best wildlife real estate in the world ". Herds of plains game roam the rolling grasslands, big cats prowl, and families of elephants stroll majestically past. Upon arrival you will be met and taken to your tent strategically sited overlooking the Mara River in the shade of old African Fig trees. After lunch, a guide will take you to a traditional Masai homestead to experience a way of life unchanged for centuries. You will also visit the nearby village school which has been rebuilt and developed with funds from your camp. The school provides basic education for Masai children who walk up to six miles each day to attend class. You return to the camp for an evening game drive followed by dinner with wine under the stars.

Day 8 A Balloon Safari over the Mara

The Mara from a balloon is one of the most spectacular sights on earth and today you will have the chance to see the whole scope of the Mara in perfect silence and peace. Your adventure begins just before dawn when flames from the balloon's burners light the darkness as the crew inflates their craft. As the first rays of sunlight flicker across the skies, the inflated balloon begins to rise. Suspended in a basket beneath your balloon, you are off on a game viewing adventure with an entirely different perspective. As you float over the plains, the forest and the Mara River, you hear the sounds from below drift clearly upwards; a lion's roar, elephants crashing through the bush, screeching baboons perched in the tips of trees. For an hour or so your drift wherever the air currents take you, then you return to earth with a champagne breakfast, cooked before your eyes on the plains of the Masai Mara. After breakfast you return to camp where you have a chance to relax in the heat of the day. In the evening another game drive offers another opportunity to view the wildlife.

Day 9 Game Viewing on the Mara

Today you will leave your vehicle behind and take a walking safari with one of the camps armed guides for a chance to capture the true thrill of the bush. You'll track game unsure what waits around the next corner, giraffe, buffalo, even lion, and at the same time learn about the smallest details of bush life and the traditional Masai uses of the indigenous plant. At the end of it all waits another sumptuous barbecue breakfast complete with champagne. In the afternoon you will drive out to one of the languid pools where hippos escape the heat of the day. Another evening game drive completes your day on the Mara.

Day 10 Exploring Nairobi

In the morning, after your early morning game drive, you are taken to the airstrip where your aircraft waits to take you to Nairobi. Upon arrival you are met by your guide who will first take you to the world famous Carnivore restaurant where meat is on the menu both domesticated and wild, the lamb is good but so too are Zebra and Crocodile. After a hearty lunch you will go to the Karen Blixen Museum to relive her time in Africa from 1914 to 1931 which formed the basis for her book "Out of Africa". You will also visit the giraffe orphanage where giraffes are reared for a return to the wild and visit a local craft center. Your guide than takes you to your hotel which is located close to the Museum and on the land that once belonged to the Baroness. Dinner is in the hotel's elegant dining room.

Day 11 Kigali and the “Thousand Hills”

After breakfast you are transferred to the airport for the flight to Kigali in the nation of Rwanda. The flight takes a little over an hour. Upon arrival you are met by your guide who along with your driver will take you on a scenic drive through the "thousand hills" of Rwanda. You will make your way through the rich lowland farms before you reach your home for the next four nights, the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. The lodge is situated in North Western Rwanda in the foothills of the mighty Virunga's, the chain of 15,000 foot volcanoes stretching through Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lodge affords wonderful views of the volcanoes and the surrounding countryside. Each private cottage comes with fireplaces, dressing rooms and stylish bathrooms. Once checked in you are free to enjoy the views from your terrace before cocktails and dinner with wine.

Day 12 The Golden Monkeys and the Rain Forest

After breakfast you will be taken to the park headquarters to begin your hike into the rainforest in search of the elusive Golden Monkeys considered to be the rarest of primates and found only in this area. As you search for the monkeys you will be immersed in a true rain forest where hundreds of bird species and plant life surround you. You may even spot the trail of Elephants. When you sight the elusive monkeys you have a maximum of one hour to spend observing them in order to maintain a healthy environment for the animals. Depending on the success of the search, this can be a full day endeavor and a box lunch is provided. Upon completion of the trek you return to the camp for a warm bath and a cocktail enjoyed as the sun sets.

Day 13 Gorillas in the Mist

Given the high altitude of the park and especially the habitat of the Mountain Gorilla, the area is many times covered by low hanging clouds creating a mist-like atmosphere. Today you will participate in one of the most dramatic, thrilling and poignant wildlife experiences available to humans. The ability to spend time with creatures three times the size of a man yet gentle and accepting of a respectful presence. You again will enter the park with a skilled ranger who will take you to an area where a group of gorillas is known to reside although they do move around. Once located, you will have an hour to spend with these magnificent distant relatives and watch them feeding, sunning themselves and even at play. Your guide will allow close interaction keeping in mind your safety and that of the Gorillas. You return down the mountainside with a sense of awe and humility; one of a relatively few people able to say they have had such an experience.Day 14 Ruhengeri and the Gorilla Conservation Program

After breakfast your guide will take you into Ruhengeri a bustling Rwandese market town where you have a chance to enjoy the friendliness of the Rwandese people and typical life in the countryside. You may want to pick up a few souvenirs. After lunch you visit the socio-economic and conservation projects run by SACOLA, the community trust that owns the lodge you are staying in. the revenue from your visit benefits the local community and also helps support the African Wildlife Foundation and its local partner, The International Gorilla Conservation Program. During your visit you will learn about the exceptional work being done by these organizations.. You then return to your camp for a farewell dinner.Day 15 The Return Home

In the morning, your guide and driver will be ready to take you back through the scenic road to Rwanda's Capital, Kigali. Here you will board a commercial flight to Nairobi airport connecting to your international flight to the USA.

Tour Location / Places Visiteds

Additional Pricing Information

Services Included

All air transportation as part of the program offered including private and charter aircraft. (On those programs requiring private aircraft flights, you will be limited to 33lbs of luggage which can be stored in the safari luggage which we provide to you. Additional luggage will be stored for you for the rest of your trip. In the private camps, daily laundry is available (and, in most cases included).

Luxury rail travel as indicated

Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)

On Safari, only private camps are used and include all meals and all game viewing in most camps, house beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks ( indicated on itinerary)

Private Transfers to and from the airport at destination

All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner

Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.

Baggage handling at all hotels and camps

All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)

Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)

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